DANVILLE — A Danville man has been arrested in a police chase and two-vehicle crash last month that claimed the life of 74-year-old man.
Jaylin J. Butler, 22, was in custody Wednesday on charges of reckless homicide, aggravated fleeing and eluding police, aggravated battery, armed violence, and being a felon in possession of a weapon.
Butler was arrested outside a home in Hoopeston by members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force in connection with a Sept. 26 crash at Voorhees and Gilbert streets that killed William Marietta of Danville.
Danville police said about 6:30 p.m. that Tuesday, officers on patrol in the area of Bowman Avenue and Fairchild Street saw a Ford Escape being driven by a man they knew to have a revoked license.
As they started to follow it, they saw it driving erratically and activated their lights and siren to initiate a stop.
The vehicle instead sped away, police said.
Officers also saw the driver throw what appeared to be a handgun out the window, which one of them recovered while others continued the pursuit.
Police saw the vehicle continue west and disregard a red light at Voorhees and Vermilion Street.
Several blocks later, they saw it hit a Chevrolet Silverado in which Mr. Marietta and a 33-year-old Danville man were riding.
